USC names 4 captains for 2013 season

There is, finally, one decision about USC’s quarterbacks. Neither of them are captains.

USC’s players voted for their ceremonial leaders, and on Monday evening, Coach Lane Kiffin announced that linebackers Devon Kennard and Hayes Pullard, receiver Marqise Lee and center Marcus Martin had been elected team captains. None were captains last year.

For only the second time since 2003, the Trojans don’t have a quarterback among their captains. Kiffin has yet to announce whether Cody Kessler or Max Wittek will start Thursday against Hawaii, and Kiffin has said he anticipates that both will play.

Kiffin said it didn’t feel strange not having a quarterback at captain. It breaks a string that started with Carson Palmer (2002) and continued through Matt Leinart (2004), John David Booty (2006-07), Mark Sanchez (2008) and Matt Barkley (2010-12).

``I don’t think there would be an expectation that (Kessler or Wittek) would be named captain,’’ Kiffin said. ``Guys who are named captain, they have usually played before.’’

Wittek started two games last season in place of Barkley and Kessler has yet to take the field other than for a handful of mop-up, fourth-quarter series.

That figures to change Thursday, although Kiffin reiterated that he doesn’t have a specific plan in terms of how he will rotate the quarterbacks.

``We’re not going to put anything set in stone, about plays or series or quarters,’’ Kiffin said. ``We’ll get a feel for how the game is going and make decisions as we go along.’

Also, USC awarded its four unused scholarships to walk-on players. John Akiba, John Auran, Cody Skene and Kyle Yatabe will be on scholarship for the fall semester.

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